


The Lump

by Mountainfall



Category: Original Work
Genre: Accidental Baby Acquisition, Demon Deals, Gen, Marriage of Convenience, POV Second Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 06:00:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29413761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mountainfall/pseuds/Mountainfall
Summary: Writing Prompt:You’re a novice demon who managed to convince a mother to give up her first born in exchange for eternal youth. You did so, because it seems like the kind of thing all the other demons are doing, but now you are not sure what you are supposed to do with an infant and it’s way too late to ask.
Relationships: Reader & Original Female Character
Kudos: 4





	The Lump

You stare uncomfortably at the pink lump of flesh it it’s carrier. It hasn’t stopped crying and you don’t know what to do. You tried holding it earlier, but it kept choking. Maybe it was allergic to you. Could humans be allergic to demons? Adults didn’t seem to be, maybe they grew out of it some point? Why did demons bargain for these things anyway, who thought they were valuable merchandise? Lot’s of people apparently. You figured you’d better learn to take care of the thing so your investment didn’t go to waste.

It was convenient then that you got another summons. You picked of the lump of a baby and let the world blur around you. Your boots it the dirt and a woman stood waiting for you. She was stiff and nervous, right up until she realized that the lump was crying.

The woman strode over and an buckled the thing from it’s seat. She cradled it, while rocking her arms and making shushing noises. The lump didn’t listen.

”It’s defective,” You say.

The woman snorts, “There’s no such thing as a defective baby.” She sniffs the limp’s butt, and you crinkle your nose. “It needs a diaper change,” she pronounces.

“A what?”

“A diaper change?” At your blank look she explains further, “The diaper is the bit that collects the pee and poop. When it’s full the baby gets uncomfortable.”

You perk up, “Oh is that all?” You wave your hand vaguely, getting rid of the problem. The lump quiets down and you marvel at the silence. You already knew what you were going to ask the woman for in return for her wish before you even arrived, but given how quickly she fixed the problem she may be even better for it than you thought. How wonderful. You notice the woman squints at you. “What?”

“Are you allowed to do that?’ She asks. “I thought you could only do miracles if the deal had explicit terms.” Huh, someone who actually did their research before summoning a demon. How rare.

“No, I we can do what ever we want to accommodate other’s desires, so long as we also get gain out of it.”

“And what did you get out of that?”

“Peace and quite, without having to touch it.” She raises an eyebrow at your answer, but says nothing more. You decide to move on to a new topic. “You have a desire of your own that needs fulfilling, do you not?”

She starts, like she had completely forgotten why she was there in the first place and blushes, “Oh yeah.” You give her a moment to compose herself and she stares you dead in the eye. I need a place to live. A nice one, I have to own it myself and there is no risk of me losing it ever.”

“That’s it?” She nods. You wave your hand again ad the world blurs once more. The woman is unsettled as she takes in her new surroundings. “Now you teach me how to care for that thing.”

She grins. A sparkle of pure joy has come into her eyes, “It’s a deal.”

\----------------

Visits to the woman, Zoey, become regular occurrence to you. She quite good with the lump even if she insists of calling it Ariel. “All baby’s need a name,” She had said. She didn’t like your insistence that their name was Lump.

You were waiting inside, mentally preparing for another round of “Why is it doing that, and how do I get it to stop?” When the door burst open. You startled, and the lump started crying. Zoey swore, hastily tried to suppress her own set of tears. she took the baby from you and started rocking. You moved to go shut the door and process what in the world was going on. You had never seen Zoey like this before. So while you were nervous to leave the lump with her because of it, it also seemed to be helping her calm down. Watching the two you continued on to warm some formula, just like Zoey taught you, before handing it to her. Her thank you was watery, and wondered if someone had tried to drown her. Or did crying just do that?

After what felt like an eternity, both Zoey and the lump had calmed down. Finally, you could get some answers, “So, what happened?”

“My adoption application got rejected.”

“Your what?”

“I want to adopt a child. But the agency won’t let me. They only give them to married couples to ensure that the child gets as stable a home life as possible.” Her voice took a high mocking edge as she recounted the reason for rejection. “it’s why I wanted this apartment, to prove that I could provide stability, but apparently being a single-mom is just too much of a risk no matter what the rest of my situation looks like.” The mocking tone was gone, replaced with something hard and self-depreciating.

You consider for a moment, “If the lack of partner is the only problem just get one.”

“Not partner, married, I’m Ace/Aro. Finding someone willing to marry me purely for adoption purposes really would be a miracle.”

You nod. “Problematic. if you’re desperate then, I’m sure I can be persuaded to help,” Your tone is sly. At last, Lump the investment baby has paid off putting you in the perfect position to be here for a new deal.

“No, I don’t think I can.” Well, that stops you cold. “what I want I don’t think you’ll be willing to give.

“Making some adoption papers go through won’t be hard. Not even worth your soul.”

“No, for you I’m sure that’d be quite easy. But I’ve realized there is one child in particular I want and I can’t get them through any adoption agency.”

You shrug, “A little more difficult, but still manageable.”

She looks you in the eye, “You’ll give me Ariel then?” Your brain tears in half and starts screaming. Of course, one part says. The thing is just merchandise, that’s what it’s here for. No! The other part cries. That is your Lump and has been since you got it to stop choking by supporting it’s head properly “Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Zoey says.

No, no, you can’t lose a deal because of personal feeling. You’ll be thrown out of the pandemonium. “Yes,” You choke. “You can have Ariel, but I get to come by and see them whenever I want.” Zoey, smiles in absolute joy, but you can’t help but feel like you just lost on this deal.

\-------------

Life is dull without the lump. You tell yourself it’s fine, you can visit any time, but you never do. You tell yourself it’s because your customers are less gullible without a baby around to drop their guard, but your not sure that’s actually true either. It just wasted all of your time by crying and pooping, and all of those other nasty bodily functions humans have, but it was rewarding. It was rewarding taking care of them lump. It was a special feeling that making deals couldn't really compare to. But now it wasn’t yours to take care of, even if you did visit.

It. Maybe it was better, the Lump wasn’t yours, you hadn’t even bothered to remember it’s gender. Course Ariel, was a unisex name, so maybe Zoey didn’t know either. Or she just liked the name, that was possible too.

“Excuse me,” A man say. Oh right, you were in the middle of a new deal and had spaced out. What did this guy want again? Some invention to go big? Actually, you could work with that.

“All right, I’ll make you worth millions.”

“And what do you want in return?” The man asks.

You grin, “Royalties.”

\-------------

You startle Zoey by appearing in the mirror behind her. “Where have you been? Ariel’s missed you!” She shouts

“I can’t do this, I can’t just have visitation rights. I’m too invested. The lump, Ariel, they’re my kid too. If I provide a stipend, will you let me move in and be a co-parent?” Zoey blinks at the desperate plea, that just came out of your mouth.

“Marry me,” is her only reply.

“I thought you only needed a partner for adoption reasons?”

She shrugs, “Not the only reason, there are tax benefits too. Besides you want to be full co-parent? There are certain human legalities that are easiest to fufil through marriage. You in?”

“It’s a deal,” And with that the two of you walk down the hall to go see your sleeping child.


End file.
